Eagles Set To Tangle In Rematch With Océanic
It’s not a divisional game, but the Screaming Eagles take on a familiar foe tonight as the Rimouski Océanic roll into Centre 200.
The Eagles finished a four game road trip on Saturday afternoon, winning 3-2 in Rimouski. It marked the first game all season Cape Breton did not outshoot their opponent, but came away with the two points in part due to a 41 save outing from netminder Kevin Mandolese. The Eagles rallied from down 2-0 as Mathias Laferrière scored the game winner with under seven minutes to play.
Saturday’s win was the first victory the Eagles recorded when trailing after either the first or second period this season. While tonight’s game is a back to back against the Océanic for Cape Breton, it’s not a back to back for Rimouski. They topped fierce rival Baie-Comeau 4-1 on Sunday afternoon.
Heading into tonight’s game the Océanic sit third in the Eastern Conference standings with a record of 7-4, including a perfect 4-0 mark away from home. Tonight marks the first time Rimouski will visit the Maritimes.
Currently the Eagles are holding seventh spot in the Eastern Conference, with a 4-6-1 mark which includes a 1-3 home record. Both Cape Breton and Rimouski reflect a surprising trend through 94 regular season games in the 2018-19 QMJHL season thus far: the road team has won the majority of the games.
Screaming Eagles star Mitchel Balmas is a reflection of this trend- he comes into Thursday’s game hot, with six points during the four game, just completed road trip. This season Balmas has six goals in 11 games- all on the road. Leon Gawanke also carries a point streak, having recorded a point in the last three Eagles games.
For Rimouski, Alexis Lafrenière has ten points over a six game point stretch. The 17 year old star was recently named to the QMJHL’s roster for the upcoming Canada/Russia Super Series. Also helping lead the attack in recent games is Carson MacKinnon (seven points in his last four games), and Calgary prospect Dmitry Zavgorodniy. Zavgorodniy has recorded two points in every game in the month of October- with the exception of being held scoreless on Saturday in the loss to the Screaming Eagles.
Puck drop this evening is 7 PM. Tickets for tonight’s game can be purchased at the Centre 200 box office, by phone at 902-564-2200 or online at https://tickets.capebreton.ca/Online/default.asp Go Eagles Go!
